The Naked Truth About David Duchovny

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Entertainment Tonight, June 9, 1998
Interviewed by Chris Wragge

 

Chris Wragge: How about that? You no longer have to work out of the north country.

David Duchovny: No, no. I'm working out of my house now.

Chris: Working in great old L.A. Have they decided to just come and shoot the "X-Files" at your place now?

David: Yeah, that's next. I made such a stink about moving it to L.A. Now I don't even want to drive. I'm like, "Make the show in my house or I'm quitting."

Chris: And you've got a big enough place, you could accommodate everyone I'm sure.

David: I don't care. It's me. I want the film showing my house.

Chris: This is going to be a pretty great time right now. You're done here in L.A. now. Got the new house. Huge movie coming out. I mean, is this a good time for you?

David: It's like the ducks are in a row, for a minute, before they get scattered again. There are moments in life when things seem to be going well. Those are usually the moments before you get the shit kicked out of you.

Chris: Before it all comes toppling down, right?

David: Well I'm not fool enough to think it will last, but it's nice when things are working out well right now.

Chris: Have you had a chance to see the finished copy of the movie yet?

David: No, I saw a little avid print out because Chris [Carter] asked me if I could give a couple final notes a few weeks ago. And I had to watch it on a little editing bay, and it looked great. But I can't wait to see it on the big screen. That will be how it's really different from the TV show. I haven't seen it on anything but this.

Chris: At the press screening it was received very well. It was so great, so loud, it was so bigger than life. Do you think that is one of differences, obviously, between TV and movies is that you can do everything on such a grander scale.

David: It's very different. I mean, as an actor it's the same thing. I get that question a lot, "what's the difference between acting in a film and acting in TV." It's very similar. There are a few adjustments to make that are small and technical. But the experience of watching a movie or watching TV is so different. You can't turn it off in the theater. I mean you can walk out but there's just something, you're kind of like dominated by a movie, whereas a TV is little. Well, I don't know how big your TV is, but you know, you walk in and out, you talk, you've got the lights on, you're on the phone. You don't treat the TV with a lot of respect.

Chris: Yeah, the movies is the other way around.

David: Yeah, you've got to be quiet or else everyone around you would get mad at you. You're sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers. Again, I don't know what you do at home, but that's not the way I watch TV.

Chris: (laughs) Well, you don't know me very well than because that's exactly how I watch TV.

David: If you want to get the TV and movie experience to be the same I suggest that you hold an open call, invite 80 people you don't know, turn off the lights in your bedroom and watch something like that.

Chris: You've left the door open for the sequel. Is that something they've already approached you about? Is it something you want to do?

David: It's something I want to do if the television show ends in the next year or so. If there is a sequel soon, and we're doing the TV show, than that's all I'm doing, "X-Files" 12 months out of the year. I would like to do "X-Files" three or four months every three or four years and do a movie franchise. I love the show and I'd love to continue playing the character with the people that I work with, but I can't. At this point, it's been my life for four years and at some point I've got to pull out.

Chris: Would this be a great platform, if the movie takes off, to say "Hey, let's--"

David: That's why I wanted to do it most of all. I mean I didn't have any need to see the "X-Files" on the movie screens. I think it will be fun to see it, but my plan was to for it to become movies rather than television.

Chris: Now, I guess there is quite a bit of pressure on you, because your better half's [TEA LEONI's], movie is at $120 million bucks. There's gotta be a little "in fighting" going on about that.

David: I'm not worried.

Chris: No worry whatsoever, huh?

David: This is a big movie.

Chris: Just going to pass her on the way by.

David: Her movie did really well, I was happy about that.

Chris: Was it surprising, I mean, was she surprised? I don't think people thought it was going to be doing as well as it has been doing.

David: I thought 'Armageddon' was going to be the big comet movie. And I think 'Armageddon' is starting to worry. Their whole publicity campaign seems to be changing. 'Deep Impact 2' is what they should call it.

Chris: (laughs) They may want to change their title really quick.

David: Hey the sequel's out already! That's pretty quick!

Chris: Now, the 'X-Files' movie, did you think it was going to be tough to bring in people other than just the "X-Files" audience?

David: Yeah, that would be the challenge of this movie. It was not so much bringing them in, but it was like, once they're in, would they understand it. Do they get it, and is it enjoyable for them? And its up to them to answer at this point. I think that they will.

Chris: Were there any times, when you were reading the script or saw the edited version, were you kinda surprised about the plot tie-ins that were brought in that resurfaced from way back when. And how it all kind of ties in, the whole cornfield thing, and the bees. Did it surprise you at all? I mean you're a smart guy, did you ever say, "Wow, that got me!"

David: It didn't surprise me because we have recurring motifs throughout the five years and it was important for Chris and the writers to make sure those motifs were in the movie and carried on through the fifth year leading up to the movie that was shot before the fifth year and leading up to the sixth year that will happen after the movie comes out. It may seem weird and really really smart, but I think those were the things that made it possible for him to write the movie. He could actually hear something that people know and 'let me put it in there,' you know? Things that people can touch on.

Chris: There's been a ton of rumor. Everyone is thinking that you guys are going to kiss in this one. I guess Chris Carter mentioned a while back that your lips do make contact, and that's all he said. So I think a lot of people think you're going to kiss. Are people going to be disappointed when they see that . . .

David: Well, I think that "the kiss" is really clever, and I like the scene a lot and I think that it shows, much more than just physical contact, which happens. I think it shows the desire, more than the actual consummation which is always much better. Don't you think? No, actually it isn't. I think its better in the movies. It's bad in life.

Chris: Do you think there is going to come a point where it is something you have to do? You know what, we've got to kiss finally.

David: (laughs) Probably in the second sequel. Which will be in the Triple X-Files.

Chris: (laughs) Now the other rumor that I heard and, this didn't sway me whether I was going to see the movie or not, but there was a rumor that we were going to see your naked rear-end. Maybe it was shot and ended up on the edit room floor.

David: (laughs) Yeah, they shot my rear-end.

Chris: Did they really?

David: Um it was a scene at the hospital and I get up out of the bed. And I've got one of those hospital gowns on, and my ass was just hanging out. It was written in the script as the first time you get to see Mulder's moon, or whatever. And I thought that funny. Again I thought it was clever way to get really gratuitous nudity. Which I love, gratuitous nudity. I think it's the only kind of nudity to be allowed. It's all-gratuitous. I mean, when does anybody have to be naked in a film. Unless you were in, 'Before There Was Clothes' in that movie.

Chris: You could have done a caveman scene.

David: Exactly, the Clan of the Cave Bear, okay they can be naked. That makes sense. But other than that? We don't need to see people doing nasty, it doesn't further anyone's character really. But I thought, okay, a really gratuitous ass shot is just wonderful. Especially cause I've been lying on it for two days in a coma, basically. I mean it was just a nasty ass shot.

Chris: Not even a good one. Bad lighting?

David: Exactly!

Chris: So you were happy when they cut it out, or were they happy? How much of an insult was it, the star of this movie, you do a gratuitous nudity scene, you show your back side and they cut it out. Better have a word with Carter.

David: Its just jealousy. That's what its all about. But it was at a time in the movie where it was distracting. The movie is driven by the story and my ass wasn't furthering the story.

Chris: (laughs) Not at all, no plot line there. Enough about your ass if you don't mind.

David: I did miss the chance of seeing my ass 40 feet high.

Chris: Big. Big fanny shot. It's amazing though, on the movies, just how big it could be though.

David: It's a big ass.

Chris: How's the house. I know the last time I talked to you, you were just about to move in.

David: It's weird being a home owner because you just get it comfortable and then you screw around with it. So I think you just screw around with it until you sell it. And do the same thing to another. Some place you call home but never live in.

Chris: Now with Tea's movie is making $120 million do you ever say to yourself, "Hey, I might just sit back and be a House Guy for a little while?"

David: No, she's already claimed that position. She's like, 'do you mind if I never worked again? And it wasn't because of the movie, it was before it came out. And I said, "oh, it's fine." You've already done well. You're dowry is safe, you don't have to make more money to make me think that you're not lazy. And, it was sweet. I just want her to do the kind of work that makes her happy.

Chris: Last question here, are you thinking about family? Any kids?

David: We're not planning on it but we're not planning against it.

Chris: Well thank you very much! It was very good to see you again.